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EASTLEA COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Key Stage 4 Curriculum Handbook for Students and Parents
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Introduction from the Principal 1
The Curriculum Team Leaders 2
Key Stage 4 Curriculum Design 3
KS4 Option choices for year 9 2016/17 4
Student Planner 5
Guidance for Parents/Carers 5
CORE SUBJECT COURSE SUMMARIES 7
ENGLISH (GCSE) 7
Mathematics (GCSE) 8
Science (GCSE) 10
Physical Education - Core 12
English Baccalaureate Subjects 13
GEOGRAPHY (GCSE) 13
History (GCSE) 14
French (GCSE) 16
Spanish (GCSE) 18
Computer Science (GCSE) 20
Free Choice GCSE Options 22
Art and Design (GCSE) 22
Business Studies (GCSE) 22
Citizenship (GCSE) 23
Drama (GCSE) 24
Electronic Products (GCSE) 25
Food Preparation and Nutrition (GCSE) 26
Graphic Products (GCSE) 27
Media Studies (GCSE) 28
Music (GSCE) 30
Physical Education (GCSE) 31
Resistant Materials Technology (GCSE) 32
Sociology (GCSE) 33
Textile Products GCSE 34
Directed Pathway Subjects. 35
Duke of Edinburgh & Princes Trust (DoEPT) 35
English as an Additional or Other Language (ESOL) 36
Designing the Built Environment 37
Performing Arts (NCFE Level 2) 38
Personal & Social Development (Independent Life Skills) 39
CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT 40
Frequently Asked Questions about the Curriculum 40
Sources of Further Information: 41
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Curriculum Handbook
for Key Stage 4
Introduction from the Principal
This booklet has been produced for the parents/carers of students in Key Stage 4. We hope that it will be useful in providing information about the courses and subjects that your son/daughter will be studying in Years 9, 10 and Year 11 at Eastlea Community School.
Key Stage 4 is a particularly important stage in secondary education because during these three years, students follow examination subjects which help to form career pathways either guiding them towards further education or possibly training and/or employment. The majority of Students will follow subjects which together count towards the English E-baccalaureate qualification; while a few students will be better suited towards a ‘directed pathway’ with a greater degree of supported learning.
This booklet summarises all of the courses offered in Key Stage 4. Some courses, such as Maths, English, Science and PE have to be studied by all students (the Core Curriculum) while others have been chosen by your son/daughter so that the program they are studying is unique to them.
Our aim is to ensure that students get an equal opportunity to achieve their own success. We hope that at this particularly critical time, with the support of parents/carers, each student will be able to develop into a self-confident adult with a love of learning and who will be able to make a considered decision about their future career path.
This booklet is for parents/carers to keep. Please retain it in a safe place and use it for reference throughout Key Stage 4.
At Eastlea, our aim is ‘to nurture our students intellectually, morally, spiritually and physically to their full potential’. We want our ‘young people to leave Eastlea with their understanding deepened, their minds enriched and their hearts inspired so that they love learning and embrace the challenges of the future’. Through our curriculum our students will enjoy ‘being successful and feeling successful’
Chinye Jibunoh
Principal
The Curriculum Team Leaders
The following list shows which member of staff is responsible for each Curriculum Area (Curriculum Team Leader). These staff can be contacted at the school if you have any questions about the subject, its content or the course. The CTL will also be able to put you in contact with your child’s Subject Teacher if this is required.
CURRICULUM TEAM / CURRICULUM TEAM LEADERArts (Art, Drama & Music) / Ms Oge Eke
English / Ms Lina Dileepkumar
Humanities (Geography, History, Citizenship, Sociology) / Mr Michael Walker
ICT & Business / Mr Ismail Ali
Design & Technology (Food Preparation and Nutrition Graphics, Resistant Materials, Electronics, Textiles, Catering, Construction) / Mr Gaston Campbell
Mathematics / Ms Iyabo Ijasanmi
Modern Foreign Languages (French & Spanish) / Mr Romuald Harnais
Physical Education (GCSE PE, including Dance.) / Mr Ade Adewale
Science / Ms Moeneera Karriem
Wider Personal Development / Ms Leilee Shirani
English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL) / Ms Aneta Przygoda
To make contact with the Curriculum Team Leader (CTL):
Telephone the school on 0207 540 0400 and ask for the CTL by name
Write to the CTL using the school address: Eastlea Community School, Pretoria Road, Canning Town E16 4NP (Letters can be delivered by hand via school reception)
E-mail the CTL using the school e-mail address -
To make contact with the Subject Teacher:
You may wish to talk to the Subject Teacher if your child is having difficulties with the subject in class or for homework, you are worried about your child's progress or behaviour in the subject or you wish to know how to support your child with their work. Please write notes in the Student Planner to Subject Staff. They may also choose to contact parents/carers in this way. By referring to the timetable in your child's planner, you can identify the name of the teacher your child has for each subject. You may also use the contact methods listed above but use the Subject Teacher's name to address your correspondence.
Key Stage 4 Curriculum Design
The chart shows the way the curriculum time is divided up for your son/daughter through the key stage. Core subjects have to be studied by all students; these are English, Mathematics, Science, and compulsory PE. Option subjects are chosen by students to make up the other part of their curriculum.
Key Stage 4
2016/17 (Year 9s) Maximum 11 GCSEs (including a Community Language)
Subject / Eng / Maths / Sci / CorePE / Option Choice A / Option Choice A / Free Choice Option B / Free Choice Option B / Total
Periods / 5 / 5 / 4 / 2 / 4 / 4 / 3 / 3 / 30
% time / 16.7 / 16.7 / 13.3 / 6.7 / 13.3 / 13.3 / 10 / 10 / 100
2017/18 (Year 10s) Maximum 11 GCSEs (including a Community Language)
Subject / Eng / Maths / Sci / CorePE / Option Choice A / Option Choice A / Free Choice Option B / Free Choice Option B / Total
Periods / 5 / 4 / 5 / 2 / 3 / 3 / 4 / 4 / 30
% time / 16.7 / 13.3 / 16.7 / 6.7 / 10 / 10 / 13.3 / 13.3 / 100
2018/19 (Year 11) Maximum 11 GCSEs (including a Community Language)
Subject / Eng / Maths / Sci / CorePE / Option Choice A / Option Choice A / Free Choice Option B / Free Choice Option B / Total
Periods / 5 / 5 / 6 / 2 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 30
% time / 16.7 / 16.7 / 20 / 6.7 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 100
KS4 Option choices for year 9 2016/17
Option Choice A E-Baccalaureate Pathway.
GCSEs that count towards the E-baccalaureate. Students following the English Baccalaureate choose 2 from:
· Geography
· History
· French
· Spanish
· Computer Science
Option Choice A Directed Pathway.
Students guided towards the ‘Directed Pathway’ are identified in advance and offered 2 choices from:
· DoEPT
· ESOL
· Engineering and Design of the Built Environment
· Performing Arts
· Personal Social Development
Free Choice Option B GCSEs All students get 2 free choices from:
· Art
· Business Studies
· Catering
· Citizenship
· Drama
· Electronics
· Food Preparation and Nutrition
· Graphics
· Media studies
· Music
· PE
· Resistant Materials
· Sociology
· Textiles
A period is 50 minutes long and there are six periods each day. There are 30 periods in each week.
In addition to the lesson time allocated to each subject, there is an allocation of time for the completion of homework in the students' own time.
Student Planner
The student planner is a small (A5), ring-bound booklet with a distinctive coloured front cover according to the student’s particular Learning Community. Each student in the school is provided with one of these planners at the beginning of the year. The student must bring the planner to school every day in their school bag and have the planner on their desk or table when they are working in class.
The planner supports work in all subjects and is used for several purposes. Please check weekly that your son/daughter's planner is being used:
To record homework set for each subject on a daily basis. This is probably the most important use of the planner. Every student should receive homework for at least one, but more usually two or three, subjects each night. The student is required to write their homework in the appropriate space for each day (these are clearly dated) and note the date by which the homework is due. This is done as a reminder for the students about the work they need to complete and as a record for parents/carers to check that the correct homework is being done to support learning and progress in school.
To record a parent/carer signature and a mentor signature on a weekly basis. The signing indicates that the planner has been checked
To record messages to and from school between parents/carers and staff. This is important if you wish to communicate directly with a member of staff or your child's mentor. You can use the space at the bottom of each weekly diary page for writing notes to staff
As a reference for general information about the school, rules and advice on what to do in specific situations, such as being ill or away from school. This section is at the front of the planner
As a record of attendance and punctuality. There are pages in the planner for your son/daughter to record if they are late to school and to compare this with their individual target which is also written into the planner
To record achievements and targets for each term. These pages are at the back of the booklet and will be used particularly on Academic Review Days (ARDs)
Guidance for Parents/Carers
How to help your son/daughter with the subjects they study at school
In order for each student to achieve their very best at school, school staff and parents/carers need to work together with the student. The following are some suggestions of how you can support your son/daughter at school:-
Encourage and make sure that your child has regular attendance and good punctuality - if they are not in the classroom they cannot learn
Check that your child leaves home dressed in the correct uniform and with a school bag containing the minimum equipment. This can be found in the planner
Use the planner to communicate with staff at school. The planner can be used for messages and questions to subject staff and tutors.
Try to provide a quiet area in which homework can be completed and ensure that your son/daughter is not distracted or disturbed when they are completing homework tasks
Check that homework/controlled assessment has been completed by the due date. You can check what homework your child has been set online by visiting www.showmyhomework.co.uk where school staff post all homework set. You can request log on details via your child’s mentor.
Check exercise books to see if effort has been put into presentation and the completion of tasks. Keep completed books/notes safely
Praise and/or reward your son/daughter for effort or progress made in their subject(s)
Attend Academic Review Days (ARDs) to discuss progress with Mentors
Contact staff at the school if you have any concerns about your child or their progress
Encourage your son/daughter to use libraries to find out information
Encourage your son/daughter to read - this may involve an adult or older child reading with your child
Encourage your son/daughter to ask questions about things they do not understand - and to research the answers
Ask your son/daughter questions about what they are doing in their subjects and get them to tell you about their day and what they have learned and achieved
Regularly test spelling and understanding of Key Words written in their controlled assessment notes
Encourage your child to join and attend extra-curricular clubs and activities (clubs outside of school hours). This includes homework, study clubs, Revision Weekends and Easter Revision School.
The Principal runs termly Principal Parent/Carers evenings at which additional information about the work of the school is given.
CORE SUBJECT COURSE SUMMARIES
ENGLISH (GCSE)
Subject/Course Title:
GCSE English Language
GCSE English Literature
Examination Board: AQA
New Specifications from September 2015
Students who start Key Stage 4 in September 2016 willstudy English Language and English Literature. Students will study the courses over a period of three years and will be assessed by single tiered external examinations at the end of Year 11. Students will not have the opportunity for early entries or retakes. There will also be a spoken language component. However, the marks accrued for this will not count towards the GCSE.
AQA English Language
Students will take two single tiered externally assessed examinations at the end of Year 11. Stimulus material will be provided. Each paper is worth 80 marks and constitutes 50% of the GCSE. They are of 1hr and 45 minutes duration and single tiered (one paper for all). Each paper has two sections.
Paper 1
Section A: Reading
One literary fiction text
Section B: Writing
Descriptive or narrative writing
Paper 2
Section A: Reading
One non-fiction text and one literary non-fiction text
Section B: Writing
Writing to present a viewpoint
Non-Examination Spoken Language
Students will be assessed on their spoken language and use of Standard English whilst:
Presenting
Responding to questions and feedback